Utility cart with aqueous ozone solution faucet, flexible output line, and docking station for spray devices

ABSTRACT

A transportable system includes a utility cart with an aqueous ozone solution (AOS) supply unit mounted to the utility cart. The utility cart includes a base with wheels, vertical support members extending from the base, and an upper shelf supported by the vertical support members. The AOS supply unit includes an enclosure coupled to the utility cart between the base and the upper shelf, the enclosure including openings for a water inlet and an aqueous ozone solution outlet. The AOS supply unit further includes one or more ozone generators and a fluid mixer disposed within the enclosure. The fluid mixer is fluidically coupled to the one or more ozone generators and configured to inject ozone generated by the one or more ozone generators into water received from a water source via the water inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solution that is output via the aqueous ozone solution outlet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 17/384,016 filed Jul. 23, 2021 and titled “JANITORIAL FILLSTATION WITH AQUEOUS OZONE SOLUTION AND PURIFIED WATER FAUCETS,” whichis a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/325,966 filedMay 20, 2021 and titled “HVAC DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM WITH REGULATEDOZONE OUTPUT BASED ON MONITORED OZONE LEVEL IN AMBIENT AIR,” which is aContinuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/200,799 filed Mar.13, 2021 and titled “REDUCED NOISE AIR DECONTAMINATOR,” all of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to janitorial systems.

BACKGROUND

Water intended for potable use (e.g., drinking water), may containdisease-causing organisms, or pathogens, which can originate from thesource of the water, from resistance to water treatment techniques, fromimproper or ineffectual water treatment techniques, or so forth.Pathogens include various types of bacteria, viruses, protozoanparasites, and other organisms. To protect drinking water fromdisease-causing organisms, or pathogens, water suppliers often add adisinfectant, such as chlorine, to the water. However, disinfectionpractices can be ineffectual because certain microbial pathogens, suchas Cryptosporidium, are highly resistant to traditional disinfectionpractices. Also, disinfectants themselves can react withnaturally-occurring materials in the water to form byproducts, such astrihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, which may pose health risks.

A major challenge for water suppliers is how to control and limit therisks from pathogens and disinfection byproducts. It is important toprovide protection from pathogens while simultaneously minimizing healthrisks to the population from disinfection byproducts. Oxidationreduction potential (ORP) can be used for water system monitoring toreflect the antimicrobial potential of the water, without regard to thewater quality, with the benefit of a single-value measure of thedisinfection potential, showing the activity of the disinfectant ratherthan the applied dose.

The ORP of water can be increased by injecting ozone into the water tocreate an ozone and water solution. This aqueous ozone solution can beused to disinfect/degrease surfaces. Thus, it is advantageous toleverage the disinfecting properties of ozone by producing aqueous ozonesolution onsite for janitorial applications.

SUMMARY

Aspects of this disclosure are directed to a transportable system thatgenerates an aqueous ozone solution for cleaning purposes. Inembodiments, the transportable system includes a utility cart with anaqueous ozone solution (AOS) supply unit mounted to the utility cart.The utility cart includes a base with wheels, vertical support membersextending from the base, and an upper shelf supported by the verticalsupport members. The AOS supply unit includes an enclosure coupled tothe utility cart between the base and the upper shelf, the enclosureincluding openings for a water inlet and an aqueous ozone solutionoutlet. The AOS supply unit further includes one or more ozonegenerators and a fluid mixer disposed within the enclosure. The fluidmixer may be disposed in between the water inlet and the aqueous ozonesolution outlet. The fluid mixer is fluidically coupled to the one ormore ozone generators and configured to inject ozone generated by theone or more ozone generators into water received from a water source viathe water inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solution that is output viathe aqueous ozone solution outlet.

In some embodiments, the transportable system further includes asplitter fluidically coupled to the aqueous ozone solution outlet. Afaucet may be mounted to the upper shelf of the utility cart andfluidically coupled to a first output of the splitter. In this regard,the faucet may be configured to dispense a first portion of the aqueousozone solution received via the splitter from the aqueous ozone solutionoutlet. A flexible output line may be fluidically coupled to a secondoutput of the splitter and configured to dispense a second portion ofthe aqueous ozone solution received via the splitter from the aqueousozone solution outlet. In some embodiments, the flexible output line mayextend from a lower portion of the utility cart (e.g., to fill buckets,attach spray guns, supply aqueous ozone solution to floor cleaningappliances, and/or provide aqueous ozone solution to any other type ofequipment).

Alternatively, the faucet or the flexible output line may be coupleddirectly to the AOS supply unit (e.g., in embodiments where only one ofthe outputs is present).

The utility cart may further include a docking station on the uppershelf for a plurality of spray devices (e.g., portable electricsprayers, spray bottles, or the like). In some embodiments, the dockingstation includes one or more cables coupled to a power strip forcharging one or more portable electric sprayers of the plurality ofspray devices. Alternatively, or additionally, the docking station mayinclude at least one holster configured to hold one or more spraybottles of the plurality of spray devices.

In embodiments, the transportable system may be configured to generateaqueous ozone solution onsite and further configured to perform any/allof the following: docking spray devices, charging spray devices (ifapplicable), filling docked spray devices with aqueous ozone solutionvia the faucet on the upper shelf, and providing aqueous ozone solutionvia the flexible output line to fill buckets, attach spray guns, supplyaqueous ozone solution to floor cleaning appliances, and/or provideaqueous ozone solution to any other type of equipment.

This Summary is provided solely as an introduction to subject matterthat is fully described in the Detailed Description and Drawings. TheSummary should not be considered to describe essential features nor beused to determine the scope of the Claims. Moreover, it is to beunderstood that both the foregoing Summary and the following DetailedDescription are example and explanatory only and are not necessarilyrestrictive of the subject matter claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. The use of the same reference numbers in different instances inthe description and the figures may indicate similar or identical items.Various embodiments or examples (“examples”) of the present disclosureare disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. In general,operations of disclosed processes may be performed in an arbitraryorder, unless otherwise provided in the claims.

FIG. 1A is a schematic illustration of a transportable system thatincludes a utility cart with an aqueous ozone solution faucet and adocking station for spray devices, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 1B is another schematic illustration of the transportable system,in accordance with one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view an aqueous ozone solution supply unit ofthe transportable system, wherein the aqueous ozone solution supply unitis opened to show its inner components, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a top shelf portion of the utility cart,including the aqueous ozone solution faucet and the docking station forthe spray devices, in accordance with one or more embodiments of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a spray device (a portable electricsprayer) of the transportable system, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of another spray device (a spray bottle)of the transportable system, in accordance with one or more embodimentsof this disclosure.

FIG. 5 a perspective view of a distal end portion of the utility cart,including an input path for supplying water to the aqueous ozonesolution supply unit, and also including an aqueous ozone solutionoutput line for filling floor cleaners, buckets, etc., or for attachingequipment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a top shelf portion of the utilitycart, including a water inlet of the input path for supplying water tothe aqueous ozone solution supply unit, wherein the water inlet is aquick connect port, in accordance with one or more embodiments of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 6B a perspective view of a distal end portion of the utility cart,including the input path for supplying water to the aqueous ozonesolution supply unit, in accordance with one or more embodiments of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a quick connect adapter configured tocouple with the quick connect port illustrated in FIG. 6A to supplywater for the aqueous ozone solution supply unit, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 7B is an end view of the quick connect adapter illustrated in FIG.7A, in accordance with one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed,which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of this disclosure are directed to a transportable systemthat generates an aqueous ozone solution for cleaning purposes. Thetransportable system can be used for cleansing and/or degreasing hardsurfaces such as plastic, glass, ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel, orthe like. The transportable system can also be used for cleansing and/ordegreasing equipment such as food service equipment which may include,but are not limited to, ovens, ranges, fryers, grills, steam cookers,oven stacks, refrigerators, coolers, holding cabinets, cold food tables,worktables, ice machines, faucets, beverage dispensing equipment, beerdispensers, shelving food displays, dish washing equipment, and greasetraps.

An ORP value can be used for water system monitoring to reflect theantimicrobial potential of a given sample of water. ORP is measured inmillivolts (mV), with typically no correction for solution temperature,where a positive voltage shows a solution attracting electrons (e.g., anoxidizing agent). For instance, chlorinated water will show a positiveORP value whereas sodium sulfite (a reducing agent) loses electrons andwill show a negative ORP value. Similar to pH, ORP is not a measurementof concentration directly, but rather of activity level. In a solutionof only one active component, ORP indicates concentration. The WorldHealth Organization (WHO) adopted an ORP standard for drinking waterdisinfection of 650 millivolts. That is, the WHO stated that when theoxidation-reduction potential in a body of water measures 650 (about ⅔of a volt), the sanitizer in the water is active enough to destroyharmful organisms almost instantaneously. For example, E. coli,Salmonella, Listeria, and Staph pathogens have survival times of under30 seconds when the ORP is above 650 mV, compared against >300 secondswhen it is below 485 mV.

An example ORP sensor uses a small platinum surface to accumulate chargewithout reacting chemically. That charge is measured relative to thesolution, so the solution “ground” voltage comes from the referencejunction. For example, an ORP probe can be considered a millivolt meter,measuring the voltage across a circuit formed by a reference electrodeconstructed of silver wire (in effect, the negative pole of thecircuit), and a measuring electrode constructed of a platinum band (thepositive pole), with the water in-between.

Increasingly, microbial issues are commanding the attention of watertreatment operators, regulators, media, and consumers. There are manytreatment options to eliminate pathogenic microbes from drinking water.One such option includes ozone (O₃), an oxidizing agent approved fordrinking water treatment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.For instance, ozone is one of the strongest disinfectants approved forpotable water treatment capable of inactivating bacteria, viruses,Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.

The disclosed system may be configured to output an aqueous ozonesolution including water with an ORP of about 600 mV to about 1000 mV,with particular embodiments configured to output water having an ORP ofabout 700 mV to about 900 mV to provide pathogenic control.Additionally, the transportable system may be configured to reduce thesurface tension of the water being used to cleanse and/or degrease hardsurfaces and equipment by creating an aqueous ozone solution (e.g., awater and ozone solution) wherein the surface tension of the water isreduced from about 72 Millinewtons per meter at 20 degrees Centigrade toabout 48-58 Millinewtons per meter at 20 degrees Centigrade to greatlyimprove the cleansing and/or degreasing qualities thereof.

FIGS. 1A through 7B illustrate a transportable system 100 that generatesan aqueous ozone solution for cleaning purposes, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, thetransportable system 100 includes a utility cart 122 with an aqueousozone solution (AOS) supply unit 200 mounted to the utility cart 122.The utility cart 122 includes a base 126 with wheels 128 (e.g., fixedwheels, pivot-mounted wheels, coasters, or the like), vertical supportmembers 130 and 132 extending from the base 126, and an upper shelf 124supported by the vertical support members 130 and 132. A grip bar 133may be coupled to the upper shelf 124 and/or vertical support member 132for pushing/pulling the utility cart 122 to transport it from onelocation to another.

The AOS supply unit 200 is configured to generate and mix ozone intowater in order to output an aqueous ozone solution (e.g., a water andozone solution). Although the AOS supply unit 200 and system 100 arediscussed with regard to applications that employ water to generate anaqueous ozone solution, it is contemplated that the AOS supply unit200/system 100 may be configured to generate other types of ozonatedfluid solutions for the purposes of cleansing, degreasing,decontaminating, and/or fluid treatment.

The AOS supply unit 200 may include an enclosure 202 with openings for awater inlet and an aqueous ozone solution outlet. In some embodiments,the enclosure 202 is coupled to the utility cart 122 between the base126 and the upper shelf 124. For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, theenclosure 202 may be mounted to vertical support members or tabs 146extending from the upper shelf 124 and/or base 126 of the utility cart122. In some embodiments, fasteners 148 (e.g., screws, nuts, bolts,etc.) are used to mount the enclosure to vertical support members ortabs 146.

The enclosure 202 may have a securable lid/cover 204 that can enclose(e.g., when secured/closed) and provide access to (e.g., whenremoved/opened) the components housed in an interior portion of theenclosure 202. The securable lid/cover 204 may be secured to theenclosure 202 by a hinge on one side and a latch or fastener on anopposing side. In other embodiments, the securable lid/cover 204 may besecured to the enclosure 202 by one or more fasteners (e.g., screws tomate with bores in the enclosure 202, latches, interference fitfasteners, clipping fasteners, magnetic fasteners, or the like). Theenclosure 202 may further include coupling portions to couple with apower cable, a switch to engage or disengage power to the AOS supplyunit 200/system 100, an indicator (e.g., a light source), anycombination thereof, and so forth.

FIG. 2 illustrates the AOS supply unit 200 with the lid/cover 204 openedor removed from the enclosure 202, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the enclosure 202includes one or more air intake ports 220. The AOS supply unit 200includes a plurality of ozone generators 206 (e.g., two ozone generators206) disposed within the enclosure 202. The ozone generators 206 arefluidically coupled to the one or more air intake ports 220 of theenclosure 202. For example, the ozone generators 206 may be fluidicallycoupled to the one or more air intake ports 220 by one or more tubes 216(e.g., flexible tubing, pipes, etc.). One or more controllers 208 (e.g.,two controllers 208) may also be disposed within the enclosure 202. Theone or more controllers 208 may be communicatively coupled (e.g.,electrically coupled and/or data linked) to the ozone generators 206.

In embodiments, each of the ozone generators 206 may include a coronadischarge tube configured to use oxygen supplied via the one or more airintake ports 220 to generate ozone, such as through splitting of oxygenmolecules in the air through electrical discharge caused by supplyingpower to a dielectric material within the corona discharge tube. Forexample, each ozone generator 206 may include an input port that isfluidically coupled to an air intake port 220 and configured to convertoxygen from incoming air into ozone. The ozone generators 206 may bepowered by a power source 212 (e.g., a 120V/240V power supply unit,power distribution circuit, or the like). A power signal from powersource 212 may be transformed via a transformer suitable for applyingthe voltage to the dielectric within the corona discharge tube of theozone generator 206. For example, a transformer may be coupled to orintegrated within a controller 208 for each ozone generator 206 or onecontroller 208 that controls a plurality of ozone generators 206. Insome embodiments, each controller 208 includes a transformer and/or alogic circuit (e.g., processor) that is programmed to selectivelyactivate or deactivate one or more connected ozone generators 206. Inother embodiments, each controller 208 is simply a transformer thatpassively activates one or more connected ozone generators 206 whenpower is supplied to the controller 208 and deactivates the one or moreconnected ozone generators 206 when the controller 208 is disconnectedfrom power. The AOS supply unit 200 may include a relay 210 (e.g., aswitchboard with analog or digital logic circuits) that controlsdistribution of power and/or communication signals within the AOS supplyunit 200. For example, the relay 210 may be connected to the powersource 212, a power switch, an indicator, the one or more controllers208 and/or ozone generators 206, and any sensors/switches (e.g., flowswitch 222 and/or ORP monitor 108) of the AOS supply unit 200/system100.

In some embodiments, the ozone generators 206 may be operated at 110volts/60 Hz and have an operating frequency of about 450 kHz and 550kHz, with a power rating of less than about 15 watts, and with a unitperformance for electrical consumption of about 32 watts. For example,the ozone generators 206 may have an operating frequency of about 480kHz. Further, the ozone generators 206 can be provided according to ISO9001 CE standards.

Each of the ozone generators 206 may be configured to produce from about800 mg ozone per hour to about 1200 mg ozone per hour, although otherranges may be appropriate depending on the application. In someembodiments, each of the ozone generators 206 produces about 1000 mgozone per hour. The ozone generators 206 may include other methods andsystems for generating ozone, including but not limited to,electrochemical cells configured to generate ozone from water by placingan anode and a cathode in contact with opposite sides of a protonexchange membrane (PEM), and supplying power to the cell, whereby waterflowing over the surface of the anode breaks down into hydrogen atomsand oxygen atoms that assemble to form O₃ (ozone).

The AOS supply unit 200 may further include one or more air dryers 214(or filters), which may be externally coupled to the enclosure 202. Theone or more air dryers 214 are configured to remove moisture from airbefore the air is supplied to the ozone generators 206 through the oneor more air intake ports 220. The one or more air dryers 214 may beconfigured to dry the air to a minus dew point by removing water vaporor moisture therefrom, where the water could inhibit the production ofozone by the ozone generators 206.

In some embodiments, the transportable system 100 may further include anoxygen concentrator configured to supply oxygen-enriched air to the oneor more air intake ports 220 of the AOS supply unit 200. For example,the oxygen concentrator may be configured to direct the oxygen-enrichedair through the one or more air dryers 214. The oxygen concentrator mayalso remove moisture from the air. In this regard, the incoming air mayundergo two drying stages. The oxygen concentrator may be fluidicallycoupled to the AOS supply unit 200 (e.g., to the one or more air dryers214 and/or one or more air intake ports 220) by one or more tubes (e.g.,flexible tubing, pipes, etc.) for transferring oxygen-enriched air fromthe oxygen concentrator to the AOS supply unit 200.

In some embodiments, each air dryer 214 includes or is coupled to an aircompressor. The pressure provided by the compressor can vary dependingon the water pressure supplied to the AOS supply unit 200/system 100,where the pressure applied by the compressor can be balanced based onthe flow rate of air received by the ozone generators 206 via the one ormore air intake ports 220 and the water pressure supplied to the AOSsupply unit 200/system 100 to obtain a particular ORP of the aqueousozone solution output by the AOS supply unit 200/system 100. Forexample, the compressor may be configured to compress the filtered airat least about 15 KPa (e.g., more particularly at a pressure of 18 KPaor about 2.6 psi) to provide a gas throughput in each ozone generator206 of about 8 SCFH (standard cubic feet per hour), where the waterpressure in each fluid path is about 50 psi to 55 psi (e.g., areasonable rating for many residential and commercial facilities), toprovide an ORP in the water at the outlet of at least about 600 mV(e.g., about 600 mV to about 1000 mV, more particularly about 700 mV toabout 900 mV). At these pressures, each ozone generator 206 has aresidence time of the gas of about three seconds. The pressure appliedby the compressor can affect the rate at which the gas flows through anozone generator 206, which can affect contact time of the air with thecomponents of the ozone generator 206, which can also affect mass gastransfer rates within the ozone generator 206.

The AOS supply unit 200 may include a plurality of ozone generators 206.For example, in the embodiment illustrated FIG. 2, the AOS supply unit200 includes two ozone generators 206. As shown in FIG. 2, the ozonegenerators 206 may be fluidically connected in series with one other.Such configurations may provide increased ozone output and/or backupozone generators 206 in case of malfunction or inoperability of one ormore of the other ozone generators 206. On average, each ozone generator206 may have an operating life of about 10,000 working hours. In someembodiments of the AOS supply unit 200, two or more ozone generators 206may be connected in parallel to achieve a higher rate of ozonethroughput per line.

The AOS supply unit 200 may include a fluid mixer 230 fluidicallycoupled to the one or more ozone generators 206 by one or more tubes 218(e.g., flexible tubing, pipes, etc.) for transferring ozone from the oneor more ozone generators 206 to the fluid mixer 230. In someembodiments, the fluid mixer 230 is disposed within the enclosure 202between a water inlet 226 and an AOS outlet 228. The fluid mixer 230 maybe configured to introduce/inject ozone generated by the ozonegenerators 206 into water flowing between the water inlet 226 and theAOS outlet 228. In this manner, the fluid mixer 230 mixes the ozone fromthe ozone generators 206 with the water flowing into the AOS supply unit200 to produce an aqueous ozone solution that is output via the AOSoutlet 228.

The fluid mixer 230 may be a multi-port coupler including an inlet, anoutlet, and an ozone input port between the inlet and the outlet. Themulti-port coupler may simply be pipe/tube fittings with an ozone inputport formed therein, 3-way pipe/tube fittings, or the like. In someembodiments, the multi-port coupler includes a venturi. A venturi caninclude an injector venturi design (e.g., a “T” design), where theventuri is coupled between the inlet and the outlet, and where ozone isintroduced to the venturi through another port (i.e., the ozone inputport) positioned perpendicular to the flow path of the water (from theinlet to the outlet). During operation, ozone generated by the ozonegenerators 206 is drawn into the venturi and mixed with the water streamflowing from the inlet to the outlet. A pressure differential betweenthe inlet and the outlet may serve to facilitate drawing the ozone intothe venturi and to facilitate mixing of the ozone and the water. In someembodiments, a pressure differential greater than 20 psi inlet overoutlet (e.g., at least a 20 psi difference between the inlet and theoutlet, with pressure higher at the water inlet) is provided to generatenegative suction in the venturi to thereby draw in the generated ozone,while assuring the energy for water flow and pressure for operation ofthe venturi.

In order to further increase effectiveness of the mixing processdelivered by the venturi, the aqueous ozone solution may pass through anin-line mixer coupled between the venturi and the outlet. In thisregard, the fluid mixer 230 may include a combination of a venturi andan in-line mixer, or another type of multi-port coupler with an in-linemixer. The in-line mixer can facilitate further breaking or mixing ofozone bubbles already introduced to the water to generate a mixture (orsolution) of water and substantially uniform-sized ozone bubbles. Thesmall uniform-size ozone bubbles can adhere to each other to lower thesurface tension of the aqueous ozone solution. For example, water canhave a surface tension of about 72 Millinewtons, whereas the solution ofwater and substantially uniform-sized ozone bubbles can have a surfacetension of about 48-58 Millinewtons. In embodiments, the in-line mixerhas an internal diameter that equals an internal diameter of the outputport of the venturi to which the in-line mixer is coupled. The sameinternal diameter can provide an uninterrupted transition of the fluidflowing from the venturi to the in-line mixer, such as to maintain avortex action or mixing action of the water and the ozone bubbles. Thein-line mixer also provides increased contact time between the water andozone bubbles and can facilitate preparation of uniform ozone bubblesize. In some embodiments, the in-line mixer has a length of about twoinches downstream from the venturi, which can allow sufficient time forthe velocity of the vortex action caused by the pressure differential ofthe venturi to crush the gaseous bubbles entrained in the solution intouniformed size bubbles. The in-line mixer can also reintroduceundissolved gas back into the solution resulting in increased efficiencyas well as reduced off-gas at the point of application. The in-linemixer can include multiple chambers through which the aqueous ozonesolution flows. The size of the chambers can be determined based on thewater flow (e.g., throughput), gas mixing, and desired time exposure. Insome embodiments, the AOS supply unit 200 produces a stream of aqueousozone solution at the AOS outlet 228 having a molar concentration ofozone of at least 20%, or more particularly at least 25%, far surpassingprevious systems that have mass gas transfer rates of less than 10%.

The AOS supply unit 200 may further include or may be coupled with aflow switch 222 that is configured to detect water flow through the AOSsupply unit 200/system 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the flow switch 222 maybe disposed within the enclosure 202. For example, the flow switch 222may be fluidically coupled in-line with the fluid mixer 230, between thewater inlet 226 and the AOS outlet 228. In some embodiments, the waterinlet 226 and the AOS outlet 228 are located on opposite sides of theenclosure 202, allowing for a linear (e.g., horizontal) flow paththrough the enclosure 202. In other embodiments, the flow switch 222 maybe external to the enclosure 202 and/or at a distance from the enclosure202. For example, the flow switch 222 may be coupled to any of the fluidpaths for water/AOS flow through the transportable system 100 (e.g.,water input line 102, water output line 106, splitter 110, etc.).

The flow switch 222 can be configured to provide electric signalsindicative of water/AOS flow through the AOS supply unit 200/system 100.For example, the flow switch 222 may be a mechanical flow switch/sensor,electromagnetic flow switch/sensor, pressure-based flow switch/sensor,optical flow switch/sensor, or the like, configured to provide anelectric signal indicative of a flow of fluid (e.g., water/AOS) throughthe AOS supply unit 200/system 100. In some embodiments, the flow switch222 may include solenoid-based flow switches/sensors, such as to avoidsignificant restriction of flow through the AOS supply unit 200/system100.

In embodiments, the flow switch 222 is configured to transmit one ormore control signals to the one or more controllers 208 in response tosensing a flow of water/AOS through the AOS supply unit 200/system 100.In response to receiving the one or more control signals, the one ormore controllers 208 are configured to cause the ozone generators 206 togenerate ozone. In some embodiments, the controllers 208 aretransformers that become activated by control signals (e.g.,status/power signals) transmitted by the flow switch 222 in response tosensing a flow of water/AOS. In other embodiments, the controllers 208may further include microprocessors, microcontrollers, or otherprogrammable logic devices. In such embodiments, the one or morecontrollers 208 may be configured (e.g., programmed) to activate thetransformers and/or ozone generators 206 in response to the controlsignals (e.g., status signals) and possibly based on other sensorsignals being monitored by the one or more controllers 208.

The flow switch 222 may be communicatively coupled to the one or morecontrollers 208 by one or more connectors 224 (e.g., wires, cables,optical fibers, etc.) for transmitting signals between the flow switch222 and the one or more controllers 208. As shown in FIG. 2, the AOSsupply unit 200 may include a relay 210 that distributes the incomingsignals to the one or more controllers 208. In embodiments, the flowswitch 222 is communicatively coupled to the relay 210 by the one ormore connectors 224. The relay 210 may be configured to transmit thecontrol signals from the flow switch 222 to the controllers 208, wherebythe controllers 208 are programmed to activate the ozone generators 206in response to receiving one or more control signals indicating a flowof water/AOS through the AOS supply unit 200/system 100. Alternatively,the relay 210 itself may be configured to connect thecontrollers/transformers 208 to power (or to directly power the ozonegenerators 206 if no controllers/transformers 208 are present) inresponse to receiving one or more control signals indicating a flow ofwater/AOS through the AOS supply unit 200/system 100. In furtherembodiments, the AOS supply unit 200 may include a wirelesscommunication interface (e.g., wireless receivers, transmitters, and/ortransceivers) for receiving signals from the flow switch 222. Forexample, the flow switch 222 and one or more of the controllers 208and/or relay 210 may include wireless communication interfaces forsending/receiving wireless communication/control signals.

The AOS supply unit 200 may be configured to dispense an aqueous ozonesolution (e.g., a water and ozone solution) having an ORP of between 600mV and 1000 mV to provide pathogenic control without introduction ofharsh treatment chemicals, such as chlorine. After operation of the AOSsupply unit 200, the output aqueous ozone solution can provide removalof organic and inorganic compounds, can provide removal ofmicro-pollutants (e.g., pesticides), can provide enhancement of theflocculation/coagulation decantation process, can provide enhanceddisinfection while reducing disinfection byproducts, can provide odorand taste elimination of the treated water, and so forth. The solubilityof ozone in water is quite good, about 10 to 15 times greater than foroxygen under normal drinking water treatment conditions. About 0.1 to0.6 liters of ozone will dissolve in one liter of water. The size of theozone gas bubbles can influence gas transfer characteristics. In someembodiments, the fluid mixer 230 generates an ozone bubble size of about2 to about 3 microns. For instance, micro-bubbles can be produced by thefluid mixer 230 and/or sheared into uniformed micro-size bubbles as thesolution passes through the fluid pathways.

Corona discharge ozone can be used virtually anywhere. Since ozone ismade on site, as needed and where needed, there is no need to ship,store, handle or dispose of it, nor any containers associated withshipping, storing, handling, and disposing a treatment chemical, as isthe situation with most chemicals utilized in water treatment.

The AOS supply unit 200 may be configured to provide indicationspertaining to the operation status of the AOS supply unit 200/system100, such as to ensure proper operation, or to provide an indicationregarding a need for adjustment, servicing, or maintenance. For example,the flow switch 222 may be configured to send the signal to an indicatorlocated on an exterior of the enclosure 202 to provide a visual,tactile, or audible indication that fluid (e.g., water/AOS) is flowingthrough the AOS supply unit 200/system 100. In some embodiments, theindicator is a light source (e.g., an LED) configured to illuminate uponreceiving a signal from the flow switch 222. The indicator may also becoupled to a sensor (e.g., a relay) configured to measure that a voltageis applied to ozone generators 206. When a proper voltage is applied tothe ozone generators 206, the sensor can send a signal to the indicator.In some embodiments, the indicator will provide a visual, tactile, oraudible indication when each sensor and the flow switch 222 providetheir respective signals to the indicator. For example, the relay 210can be coupled to the power source 212 and the flow switch 222. Therelay 210 may be configured to send an activation signal to theindicator when the power source 212 is providing power to the ozonegenerators 206 and when the flow switch 222 provides one or more signalsregarding fluid flow through the AOS supply unit 200/system 100. In sucha configuration, the indicator can verify that the AOS supply unit200/system 100 is operating under design conditions (e.g., having anactive flow of water, and having a sufficient power supply to the ozonegenerators 206).

In some embodiments, the transportable system 100 (or AOS supply unit200) may include an in-line ORP monitor 108 (e.g., ORP sensor/meter)positioned to measure the ORP of the aqueous ozone solution the AOSoutlet 228, coupled within a distribution line, or the like. The in-lineORP monitor 108 can be coupled with the relay 210, such that the in-lineORP monitor 108 provides a signal to the relay 210 upon detection of adesired ORP or range of ORPs (e.g., at least 600 mV, at least 650 mV, atleast 700 mV, at least 750 mV, at least 800 mV, at least 850 mV, atleast 900 mV, at least 950 mV, etc.). The relay 210 can then provide anactivation signal to the indicator upon proper functioning of the AOSsupply unit 200/system 100 (e.g., when the power source 212 is providingpower to the ozone generators 206, when the flow switch 222 provides oneor more signals regarding fluid flow through the AOS supply unit200/system 100, and when the in-line ORP monitor 108 detects a desiredORP of the aqueous ozone solution generated by the AOS supply unit200/system 100). When the indicator is not activated, this can providean indication that a component or components of the AOS supply unit200/system 100 may need adjustment, servicing, or maintenance.Alternatively, the AOS supply unit 200/system 100 can be configured toactivate the indicator upon failure of one or more of the components ofthe AOS supply unit 200/system 100 (e.g., no power supplied to the ozonegenerators 206, no flow of water detected by the flow switch 222, or anout of range ORP detected by the in-line ORP monitor 108).

By providing an ORP of between 600 mV and 1000 mV with the AOS supplyunit 200/system 100, the output aqueous ozone solution can be utilizedto destroy various pathogens, including, but not limited to, algae(e.g., blue-green), bacteria (e.g., Aeromonas & Actinomycetes, Bacillus,Campylobacters, Clostridium botulinum, Escherichia coli (E. coli),Flavobacterium, Helicobacter (pylori), Heterotrophic Bacteria,Legionella pneumophila, Micrococcus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Shigella shigellosis (dysentery),Staphylococcus sp, albus, aureus, Streptococcus, Vibrio: alginolyticus,anguillarium, parahemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica), fungi, molds,yeasts, mold spores, nematodes, protozoa (e.g., Acanthamoeba &Naegleria, Amoeboe Trophozoites, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Entamobea(histolytica), Giardia lamblia, Giardia muris, Microsporidium, N.gruberi), trematodes, viruses (e.g., Adenovirus, Astrovirus,Cailcivirus, Echovirus, Encephalomyocarditis, Enterovirus, coxsachie,poliovirus, Hepatitis A, B and C, Myxovirus influenza, Norwalk,Picobirnavirus, Reovirus, Rotavirus).

In some implementations, incoming water may have a surface tension ofabout 72 Millinewtons per meter at 20° C. as it enters the AOS supplyunit 200/system 100. The AOS supply unit 200/system 100 may beconfigured to reduce the surface tension of the water in the resultingaqueous ozone solution to about 48-58 Millinewtons per meter at 20° C.The reduced surface tension of the water enables the aqueous ozonesolution being sprayed onto the hard surfaces and equipment to removegrease more effectively from hard surfaces and equipment since ozonatedfluid is more capable of loosening and disintegrating any biofilm on thehard surfaces or equipment. The reduced surface tension of the water inthe aqueous ozone solution better enables the cleansing of the hardsurfaces and equipment since it more easily penetrates foreign materialon the hard surfaces and equipment.

The aqueous ozone solution can be used for a variety of applicationsincluding, but not limited to: cleansing and/or degreasing hard surfacessuch as plastic, glass, ceramic, porcelain, granite, stainless steel,aluminum, or the like; cleansing and/or degreasing equipment such asfood service equipment such as ovens, ranges, fryers, grills, steamcookers, oven stacks, refrigerators, coolers, holding cabinets, coldfood tables, worktables, ice machines, faucets, beverage dispensingequipment, beer dispensers, shelving food displays, dish washingequipment, grease traps, or the like; and/or cleansing and/or degreasingHVAC or plumbing systems such as roof top units, air scrubbers,humidifiers, water heaters, pumps, or the like.

Referring again to FIG. 1A, the transportable system 100 includes awater input line 102 configured to supply water from a water source(e.g., a conventional water main/supply line, or the like) to the AOSsupply unit 200. For example, the water input line 102 may befluidically coupled to the water inlet 226 of the AOS supply unit 200.In some embodiments, the water input line 102 includes or is coupled toa sediment filter 104 configured to remove particulates (e.g., sand,silt, dirt, rust, etc.) from water before the water enters the AOSsupply unit 200. The AOS supply unit 200 is configured to produce anaqueous ozone solution (as described above) by mixing ozone into thewater. The aqueous ozone solution is then output from the AOS supplyunit 200 via the AOS outlet 228 which may be coupled to an AOS outputline 106 (as shown in FIG. 2). In some embodiments, the AOS output line106 includes a shutoff valve 105 for selectively enabling or disablingthe flow of aqueous ozone solution through the AOS output line 106.

In some embodiments, the AOS output line 106 includes or is coupled tothe ORP monitor 108. Additionally, the ORP monitor 108 may becommunicatively coupled with an ORP monitor control unit 109. The ORPmonitor control unit 109 may be configured to display the ORP valuesensed by the ORP monitor 108, calibrate the ORP monitor 108, programORP setpoints for the AOS supply unit 200/system 100, and/or communicatethe ORP value or control signals based on the ORP value to the relay 210of the AOS supply unit 200.

In some embodiments, the transportable system 100 includes a splitter110 fluidically coupled to the AOS outlet 228 of the AOS supply unit 200via the AOS output line 106. The splitter 110 may be configured tofluidically couple the AOS outlet 228 with a faucet 116 (via AOS supplyline 114) and a flexible output line 112.

The faucet 116 may be mounted to the upper shelf 116 of the utility cart122 and fluidically coupled to a first output of the splitter 110 viaAOS supply line 114. In this regard, the faucet 116 may be configured todispense a first portion of the aqueous ozone solution received via thesplitter 110 from the AOS outlet 228. For example, the faucet 116 mayconfigured to dispense aqueous ozone solution for various cleansing(e.g., disinfecting/degreasing) applications. In some embodiments, thefaucet 116 is mounted next to the grip bar 133, and AOS supply line 114runs from the splitter 110 to the faucet 116 along a portion of verticalsupport member 132.

The flexible output line 112 (e.g., a flexible tube or hose) may befluidically coupled to a second output of the splitter 110 andconfigured to dispense a second portion of the aqueous ozone solutionreceived via the splitter 110 from the AOS outlet 228. In someembodiments, the flexible output line 110 may extend from a lowerportion of the utility cart 122 (e.g., to fill buckets, attach sprayguns, supply aqueous ozone solution to floor cleaning appliances, and/orprovide aqueous ozone solution to any other type of equipment). Theutility cart 122 may include a hook 131 coupled to the upper shelf 124of the utility cart 122. As shown in FIG. 5, this hook 131 can be usedto hold the flexible output line 112 when the flexible output line 112is coiled and hung on the hook 131 in a stowed configuration.

In some embodiments, the flexible output line 112 includes a shutoffvalve 113 for selectively enabling or disabling the flow aqueous ozonesolution through the flexible output line 112. Additionally, oralternatively, the flexible output line 112 may be coupled to a spraygun configured to dispense aqueous ozone solution received via splitter110 from the AOS outlet 228 to fill buckets, floor cleaning appliances,or to disinfect or degrease surfaces or articles in proximity of theutility cart 122 (e.g., within 50 feet of the utility cart 122).

Alternatively, the faucet 116 or the flexible output line 112 may becoupled directly to the AOS outlet 228 of the AOS supply unit 200without a splitter (e.g., in embodiments where only one of the outputsis present).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper shelf 124 of the utility cart122, in accordance with one or more embodiments of this disclosure. Asshown in FIG. 3, the utility cart 124 may include a docking station onthe upper shelf 124 for a plurality of spray devices (e.g., portableelectric sprayers 134, spray bottles 138, or the like). In someembodiments, the docking station includes one or more cables 140 coupledto a power strip 135 (shown in FIG. 1A) for charging one or moreportable electric sprayers 134 of the plurality of spray devices. Forexample, the cables 140 may extend through an opening 142 in the uppershelf 124 to the power strip 135, which may be located underneath theupper shelf 124 (as shown in FIG. 1A). In some embodiments, the dockingstation may include at least one holster 144 configured to hold one ormore spray bottles 138 of the plurality of spray devices. The portableelectric sprayers 134 may also be disposed within one or more holsters(not shown).

The faucet 116 can be used to fill the spay devices (e.g., portableelectric sprayers 134, spray bottles 138, or the like) with aqueousozone solution. FIG. 4A illustrates a portable electric sprayer 134filled with a portion of the aqueous ozone solution via faucet 116. Theportable electric sprayer 134 may be configured to release a spray, amist, or a foam formed from the aqueous ozone solution to disinfect ordegrease a surface. In some embodiments, the portable electric sprayer134 is a portable electric mist sprayer including a porous nozzle 136configured to release a mist formed from the aqueous ozone solution. Forexample, the porous nozzle 136 may enable the portable electric sprayer134 to nebulize the aqueous ozone solution so it can be sprayed as afine mist across a surface to disinfect/degrease the surface or withinan enclosed area to disinfect the air. FIG. 4B illustrates a spraybottle 138 filled with a portion of the aqueous ozone solution viafaucet 116. The spray bottle 138 may be configured to release a spray, amist, or a foam formed from the aqueous ozone solution to disinfect ordegrease a surface. In some embodiments, the spray bottle 138 can alsobe equipped with a porous nozzle configured to release a mist formedfrom the aqueous ozone solution.

The transportable system 100 may further include any other janitorialtools (e.g., bucket and mop, carpet cleaner, hard floor cleaner, windowcleaner, etc.) that typically employ water and/or cleaning solutions todisinfect and/or degrease surfaces, wherein the water and/or cleaningsolutions can be replaced with aqueous ozone solution to obtain improvedcleaning performance and efficiency.

In embodiments, the transportable system 100 may be configured togenerate aqueous ozone solution onsite and further configured to performany/all of the following: docking spray devices, charging spray devices(if applicable), filling docked spray devices with aqueous ozonesolution via the faucet 116 on the upper shelf 124, and providingaqueous ozone solution via the flexible output line 112 to fill buckets,attach spray guns, supply aqueous ozone solution to floor cleaningappliances, and/or provide aqueous ozone solution to any other type ofequipment.

Moreover, the transportable system 100 can be wheeled to any site thathas a water source connection and used to provide aqueous ozonesolution. For example, in a building the system 100 transported (ondemand) to any room, passageway, laboratory, processing facility, etc.This allows for one system 100 to service multiple sites/zones. Tofurther increase efficiency and convenience, the system 100 may includea quick connect port 101 coupled to the water input line 102. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 1A, the quick connect port 101 can be usedwith a quick connect adapter 118 to very easily couple the water inputline 102 to a water source using a hose 120 equipped with the quickconnect adapter 118. The quick connect port 101 is fluidically coupledto one or more tubes (i.e., water input line 102) for supplying thewater to the water inlet 226 of the AOS supply unit 200, the quickconnect port 101 being configured to receive the water from the watersource (through hose 120) via the quick connect adapter 118.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the quick connect port 101 may be coupledto the upper shelf 124 of the utility cart 122. In some embodiments, theone or more tubes of the water input line 102 extend through a portionof the upper shelf 124 (e.g., through an opening in the upper shelf 124,as shown in FIG. 6A) to the water inlet 226 of the AOS supply unit 200.As shown in FIG. 6B, the one or more tubes of the water input line 102may run from the upper shelf 124 along a portion of vertical supportmember 130 to the water inlet 226 of the AOS supply unit 200.

The quick connect port 101 may be configured to receive water from anywater source (e.g., a main water line, commercial/residential waterfaucet, or the like) via the hose 120 that is equipped with the quickconnect adapter 118 at its output end. In embodiments, the quick connectport 101 includes an annular indentation configured to mate with thequick connect adapter 118. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, thequick connect adapter 118 may include two or more latches 119 that areconfigured to lock into the annular indentation of the quick connectport 101 after the quick connect adapter 118 is placed over the quickconnect port 101 and the latches 119 are flipped from an openconfiguration to a closed configuration (e.g., by pulling the latchlevers toward the distal end of the quick connect adapter 118). Thisaction of latching the quick connect adapter 118 onto the quick connectport 101 efficiently secures the quick connect adapter 118 and the quickconnect port 101 together so that the transportable system 100 can thenbe used with water supplied from the water source. It is contemplatedthat a building (or any other operational environment) that has multiplewater source outlets can be equipped with a plurality of hoses 120 andquick connect adapters 118 at various zones/sites so that thetransportable system 100 can be transported to a desired zone/site,connected to the water source using the quick connect couplinginterface, and operated onsite to provide aqueous ozone solution forcleansing, disinfecting, degreasing, water purification, etc.

Although the invention has been described with reference to embodimentsillustrated in the attached drawings, equivalents or substitutions maybe employed without departing from the scope of the invention as recitedin the claims. Components illustrated and described herein are examplesof devices and components that may be used to implement embodiments ofthe present invention and may be replaced with other devices andcomponents without departing from the scope of the invention.Furthermore, any dimensions, degrees, and/or numerical ranges providedherein are to be understood as non-limiting examples unless otherwisespecified in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A transportable system that generates an aqueousozone solution for cleaning purposes, the transportable systemcomprising: a utility cart including a base with wheels, verticalsupport members extending from the base, and an upper shelf supported bythe vertical support members; an aqueous ozone solution supply unit,comprising: an enclosure coupled to the utility cart between the baseand the upper shelf, the enclosure including openings for a water inletand an aqueous ozone solution outlet; one or more ozone generatorsdisposed within the enclosure; and a fluid mixer disposed within theenclosure, in between the water inlet and the aqueous ozone solutionoutlet, the fluid mixer being fluidically coupled to the one or moreozone generators and configured to inject ozone generated by the one ormore ozone generators into water received from a water source via thewater inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solution that is output via theaqueous ozone solution outlet; a splitter fluidically coupled to theaqueous ozone solution outlet; a faucet coupled to the upper shelf ofthe utility cart, the faucet being fluidically coupled to a first outputof the splitter and configured to dispense a first portion of theaqueous ozone solution received via the splitter from the aqueous ozonesolution outlet; a flexible output line extending from a lower portionof the utility cart, the flexible output line being fluidically coupledto a second output of the splitter and configured to dispense a secondportion of the aqueous ozone solution received via the splitter from theaqueous ozone solution outlet; and a docking station on the upper shelffor a plurality of spray devices, wherein the docking station includesone or more cables coupled to a power strip for charging one or moreportable electric sprayers of the plurality of spray devices.
 2. Thetransportable system of claim 1, wherein a portable electric sprayer ofthe one or more portable electric sprayers is filled with the firstportion of the aqueous ozone solution dispensed by the faucet, theportable electric sprayer configured to release a spray, a mist, or afoam formed from the first portion of the aqueous ozone solution todisinfect or degrease a surface.
 3. The transportable system of claim 2,wherein the portable electric sprayer is a portable electric mistsprayer including a porous nozzle configured to release a mist formedfrom the first portion of the aqueous ozone solution to disinfect ordegrease a surface.
 4. The transportable system of claim 3, wherein theportable electric mist sprayer is configured to nebulize the firstportion of the aqueous ozone solution.
 5. The transportable system ofclaim 1, wherein the docking station further includes at least oneholster configured to hold one or more spray bottles of the plurality ofspray devices.
 6. The transportable system of claim 5, wherein a spraybottle of the one or more spray bottles is filled with the first portionof the aqueous ozone solution dispensed by the faucet, the spray bottleconfigured to release a spray, a mist, or a foam formed from the firstportion of the aqueous ozone solution to disinfect or degrease asurface.
 7. The transportable system of claim 1, wherein the fluid mixercomprises a venturi.
 8. The transportable system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a flow switch disposed within the enclosure, in between thewater inlet and the aqueous ozone solution outlet, the flow switchconfigured to generate a signal indicative of water flow between thewater inlet and the aqueous ozone solution outlet.
 9. The transportablesystem of claim 8, wherein the one or more ozone generators areconfigured to be selectively activated in response to the signalgenerated by the flow switch.
 10. The transportable system of claim 1,further comprising: an air dryer externally coupled to the enclosure,the air dryer configured to remove moisture from air before the air issupplied to the one or more ozone generators to generate ozone.
 11. Thetransportable system of claim 1, further comprising: an ORP monitordisposed between the aqueous ozone solution outlet and the splitter, theORP monitor configured to detect an ORP of the aqueous ozone solutionaqueous ozone solution that is output via the aqueous ozone solutionoutlet.
 12. The transportable system of claim 1, further comprising: aquick connect port fluidically coupled to one or more tubes forsupplying the water to the water inlet of the aqueous ozone solutionsupply unit, the quick connect port being configured to receive thewater from the water source via a quick connect adapter.
 13. Thetransportable system of claim 12, wherein the quick connect port iscoupled to the upper shelf of the utility cart.
 14. The transportablesystem of claim 13, wherein the one or more tubes extend through aportion of the upper shelf to the water inlet of the aqueous ozonesolution supply unit.
 15. The transportable system of claim 12, whereinthe quick connect port includes an annular indentation configured tomate with the quick connect adapter.
 16. The transportable system ofclaim 15, wherein the quick connect adapter includes at least twolatches configured to lock into the annular indentation of the quickconnect port to secure the quick connect adapter and the quick connectport together.
 17. The transportable system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a hook coupled to the upper shelf of the utility cart, thehook being configured to hold the flexible output line when the flexibleoutput line is coiled in a stowed configuration.
 18. The transportablesystem of claim 1, wherein the flexible output line includes a shutoffvalve for selectively enabling or disabling a flow of the second portionof aqueous ozone solution through the flexible output line.
 19. Atransportable system that generates an aqueous ozone solution forcleaning purposes, the transportable system comprising: a utility cartincluding a base with wheels, vertical support members extending fromthe base, and an upper shelf supported by the vertical support members;an aqueous ozone solution supply unit, comprising: an enclosure coupledto the utility cart between the base and the upper shelf, the enclosureincluding openings for a water inlet and an aqueous ozone solutionoutlet; one or more ozone generators disposed within the enclosure; anda fluid mixer disposed within the enclosure, in between the water inletand the aqueous ozone solution outlet, the fluid mixer being fluidicallycoupled to the one or more ozone generators and configured to injectozone generated by the one or more ozone generators into water receivedfrom a water source via the water inlet to produce an aqueous ozonesolution that is output via the aqueous ozone solution outlet; asplitter fluidically coupled to the aqueous ozone solution outlet; afaucet coupled to the upper shelf of the utility cart, the faucet beingfluidically coupled to a first output of the splitter and configured todispense a first portion of the aqueous ozone solution received via thesplitter from the aqueous ozone solution outlet; a flexible output lineextending from a lower portion of the utility cart, the flexible outputline being fluidically coupled to a second output of the splitter andconfigured to dispense a second portion of the aqueous ozone solutionreceived via the splitter from the aqueous ozone solution outlet; and aquick connect port fluidically coupled to one or more tubes forsupplying the water to the water inlet of the aqueous ozone solutionsupply unit, the quick connect port being configured to receive thewater from the water source via a quick connect adapter, wherein thequick connect port includes an annular indentation configured to matewith the quick connect adapter, and wherein the quick connect adapterincludes at least two latches configured to lock into the annularindentation of the quick connect port to secure the quick connectadapter and the quick connect port together.
 20. A transportable systemthat generates an aqueous ozone solution for cleaning purposes, thetransportable system comprising: a utility cart including a base withwheels, vertical support members extending from the base, and an uppershelf supported by the vertical support members; an aqueous ozonesolution supply unit, comprising: an enclosure coupled to the utilitycart between the base and the upper shelf, the enclosure includingopenings for a water inlet and an aqueous ozone solution outlet; one ormore ozone generators disposed within the enclosure; and a fluid mixerdisposed within the enclosure, in between the water inlet and theaqueous ozone solution outlet, the fluid mixer being fluidically coupledto the one or more ozone generators and configured to inject ozonegenerated by the one or more ozone generators into water received from awater source via the water inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solutionthat is output via the aqueous ozone solution outlet; a splitterfluidically coupled to the aqueous ozone solution outlet; a faucetcoupled to the upper shelf of the utility cart, the faucet beingfluidically coupled to a first output of the splitter and configured todispense a first portion of the aqueous ozone solution received via thesplitter from the aqueous ozone solution outlet; a flexible output lineextending from a lower portion of the utility cart, the flexible outputline being fluidically coupled to a second output of the splitter andconfigured to dispense a second portion of the aqueous ozone solutionreceived via the splitter from the aqueous ozone solution outlet; and ahook coupled to the upper shelf of the utility cart, the hook beingconfigured to hold the flexible output line when the flexible outputline is coiled in a stowed configuration.